This invention relates to a developing device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or printer.
An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or printer has a developing device for supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum to develop the same.
The developing device includes a receiving section for receiving a developer containing toner and carrier and a developing roller for supplying the developer received in the receiving section to an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum.
The toner contained in the developer in the receiving section is stirred together with the carrier and charged. The charged toner is held on the developing roller via the carrier and then supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum by rotation of the developing roller. The toner supplied from the developing roller is transferred onto the electrostatic latent image by electrostatic force to visualize the electrostatic latent image.
At the time of shipment of the above type of image forming apparatus, it is necessary to insert an initial developer having toner and carrier mixed in a proper ratio into the receiving section of the developing device after the apparatus is set in a preset position. As a method for inserting the initial developer into the receiving section, the following three methods are considered.
As the first method, there is provided a method for preparing a different container containing an initial developer, temporarily taking out the developing device from the image forming apparatus when the apparatus is started to be used, opening the lid of the receiving section, and inserting the initial developer from the prepared different container into the receiving section.
As the second method, there is provided a method for previously mounting a container containing an initial developer on the receiving section, removing a partition member between the receiving section and the container when the apparatus is started to be used, and dropping and inserting the initial developer from the container into the receiving section.
As the third method, a method for previously inserting the initial developer into the receiving section at the time of shipment of the apparatus is considered.
However, in the first method, the operation for temporarily taking out the developing device from the main body of the apparatus when the apparatus is started to be used, opening the lid of the receiving section, and transferring the initial developer from the container into the receiving section is required and the load of the operation of the operator is heavy.
In the second method, the operation for opening the lid of the receiving section and inserting the initial developer as in the first method is omitted, but it is necessary to provide a space for installing the container containing the initial developer on or above the receiving section and the requirement of space saving cannot be met.
In the third method, there is a possibility that the initial developer previously received in the receiving section will be leaked when the apparatus main body is transferred at the time of shipment of the apparatus.